Heart-to-Heart Contest Judges and Winners

2017 Judges

Please check back for updates to this list.

Contemporary

– Agent Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates
– Print Editor Sue Grimshaw, Editor-at-Large at Penguin-Random House Ballantine, Bantam, Dell – Loveswept, Flirt
– E-Pub Editor Toni Kelley, Acquisitions Editor for Extasy Books

Romantic Suspense

– Agent Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
– Print Editor Mary Altman, Sourcebooks Romance
– E-Pub Editor Rhonda Merwarth, Carina Press

Erotica

– Agent Latoya C. Smith, L. Perkins Agency
– Print Editor Melissa Bendixen, Gallery/Simon and Schuster
– E-Pub Editor Tera Cuskaden, Entangled, Select Otherworld

Historical

– Agent Lizzie Poteet, Seymour Agency
– Print Editor Jennie Conway, St. Martin’s Press
– E-Pub Editor Alycia Tornetta, Entangled

Paranormal

– Agent Lane Haymont, The Tobias Literary Agency
– Print Editor Martin Biro, Editor, Kensington Books
– E-Pub Editor Stephanie Doig, Assistant Editor, Carina Press

– Agent Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary
– Print Editor Michael Strother, Harlequin/TEEN
– E-Pub Editor Samantha McMahon, SoulMate Publishing

2016 Winners

Contemporary

First Place: Celeste Deveney, Only Till Midnight *
Second Place: Angie Hockman, The Hustler *
Third Place: Gabrielle Luthy, Miracle on Tenth Avenue

Erotica

First Place: Tanicia Bell, Daughers of Flame: Book One, The Artist
Second Place: Angie Ballard, Sowing Wild Oats
Third Place: Liz Adams, A Werewolf Christmas

Historical

First Place: Mary-Teresa Heath, A Marquess in the Making *
Second Place: Mary-Teresa Heath, At Bealtaine’s Bidding
Third Place: Vicky Oliver, Parlor Games

Paranormal

First Place: Michelle Bond, The Twenty-Eighth Kiss *
Second Place: Marlene Relja, Capsos Rising
Third Place: Tanicia Bell, Vampireling: Book One *

First Place: Nicole Hohmann, Our Center of Gravity *
Second Place: Terra Rogerson, The Break-Up Instructions *
Third Place: Sarah Zettler, Leaving Hollow *

* request for synopsis, partial manuscript, or full manuscript

2016 Final Judges

Contemporary

Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency – Agent
Elle Keck, Harper Collins – Print Editor
Toni Kelley, Extasy Books – E-Pub Editor

Erotica

Sarah Bush, Trident Media Group – Agent
Adam Wilson, Gallery/Simon and Schuster – Print Editor
Tera Cuskaden, Entangled – E-Pub Editor

Historical

Tamar Rydzinski, Laura Dail Literacy Agency – Agent
Nicole Fisher, Avon – Print Editor
Alycia Tornetta, Entangled – E-Pub Editor

Paranormal

Lane Haymont, The Seymour Agency – Agent
Bethany Blair, Berkley – Print Editor
Stephanie Doig, Carina Press – E-Pub Editor

Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary – Agent
Michael Strother, Harlequin – Print Editor
Samantha McMahon, SoulMate Publishing – E-Pub Editor

2015 Winners

Contemporary

First Place: MM Jaye, Fate Captured *
Second Place: Sally Brandle, A Mule, A Mob Hit and A Mountain of Trouble *
Third Place: Rebecca Smith, She’s Got Game

Erotica

First Place: Sarah Hall, Breaking My Rules *
Second Place: M.A. Dison, Alaska Bound *
Third Place: Kaytlin Rose, Changing Tides

Historical

First Place: Jan Lehy, The Secret Affairs of a Duke’s Daughter *
Second Place: Christina Alexandra, The Seduction of the Duke *
Third Place: Laura Davies Tilley, Green Mountain Rogue

Paranormal

First Place: Kameron Claire, Special Order *
Second Place (tie): Erica Miles, Skin
Second Place (tie): Therese Rittenbach, My Kind of Love
Third Place: Lynn Vasquez, The Ghost of James Fitzpatrick

First Place: Roxanne Stellmacher, Queen of All Fates
Second Place: Janet Halpin, The Nascent Bloom
Third Place: Beth Barany, Dinah, Fallen Angel

* request for synopsis, partial manuscript, or full manuscript

2015 Final Judges

Contemporary

Jay Austin, EIC – Agent
Rebecca Lucash, Harper Collins – Print Editor
Emmanuelle Morgen, Stonesong – E-Pub Editor

Erotica

Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literacy Agency – Agent
Adam Wilson, Gallery/Simon and Schuster – Print Editor
Tera Cuskaden, Samhain – E-Pub Editor

Historical

Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency – Agent
Nicole Fisher, Avon – Print Editor
Alycia Tornetta, Entangled – E-Pub Editor

Paranormal

Lane Haymont, The Seymour Agency – Agent
Bethany Blair, Berkley – Print Editor
Kerri Buckley, Carina Press – E-Pub Editor

Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary – Agent
Natashya Wilson, HQN – Print Editor
Kimberly Blythe, Omnific Publishing – E-Pub Editor

2014 Winners

Contemporary

First Place: Seana Shelby, Welcome Home, Katie Gallagher *
Second Place: Karyn Mendoza, Hot Pants for the Hotspur
Third Place: Tara Wyatt, Off Guard *

Historical

First Place: Crystal Eliot, Lessons in Scandal *
Second Place: Susan Hammond, How to Train Your Knight *
Third Place: Karen Aragon, Queen of Diamonds

Paranormal

First Place: Alleyne Dickens, Stalking Horse *
Second Place: Jennifer Hover, The Last Marine
Third Place: Jennifer Hover, Citadel

First Place: Elly Takaki, The Frost King *
Second Place: Shannon Godwin, The Goddess Hunter
Third Place: David Rodeback, Love and Rules

* request for synopsis, partial manuscript, or full manuscript

2013 Winners

Contemporary

First Place: Christine Harvey*, In Concert
Second Place: Maisie Rubinstein, Rules For Burning
Third Place: PamelaGibson*, Balancing Act

Historical

First Place: Jennifer Ensor, Lady Beauchamp’s Proposal**
Second Place: Pat Eckhoff, Beauford’s Run
Third Place: Pamela Aares Westfall Bochte*, The Lady and the Patriot

Paranormal

First Place: Jennifer Hover, Sated
Second Place: Karen Bynum, Becoming**
Third Place: Briana MacWilliam, The Book of Dracon
Fourth Place: Carla Smith, A Promise Given

First Place (Tie): Darlene Ishigo, Echo
First Place (Tie): Paula Garner, Phantom Limbs
Second Place: Karen Bynum, Running From Shadows

* SFA-RWA Member
** request for partial or full manuscript